What is the best way of cooking squid and for how long?

Question

I have some fresh squid rings marinading in a tomato and garlic sauce. What's the best way of cooking the squid in the sauce, and for how long, what temperature etc?

Answer 1

Squid (Calamari) Recipe

Beer Batter Squid
Ingredients
2-1/2 pounds squid
1-1/2 cups rye flour
1 tbsp peanut oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans or bottles of beer (12 ounces each)
5 egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry
4 cups vegetable oil
2 bunches curly parsley


Instructions
To clean squid, remove purplish skin and separate head and tentacles from the body. Separate tentacles from the head and discard the head. Remove and discard the transparent quill from the body. Wash out the interior of the squid body. Dry on paper towels. Cut squid body into 1/2-inch-wide rings; leave tentacles uncut.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Whisk in beer a little at a time. Carefully fold in the egg whites.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F. Dip the squid rings and tentacles into the batter and fry in the deep fat for 2-1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

Dry the parsley very well and plunge into the deep fat for 20 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Arrange the squid in a ring on a large platter and top with the parsley. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Answer 2

Here is how I would do it. Cook the squid separately from the sauce because cooking in the sauce will take too long and the squid will toughen up like rubber. Instead, boil the squid pieces separately and just enough so that the pieces are tender. Heat and cook the sauce separately and earlier. That way when the squid is finished you can just transfer the tenderly cooked squid right over into the sauce and serve. When squid is overcooked it will chew like a piece of rubber tire inner tube.

Answer 3

Best bet, go to food network and find Alton Browns Good eats. If I remember correctly from the squid episode, there are 2 chances for it to get hard and chewy, if you cook it too little or too long, either way, it'll be a disaster, and I'd get you the link but I have a firewall up at work. The episodes are called Squid Quo Pro I and II (2 different episodes) That should help you, I promise.

Answer 4

Squid is usually first separated into bodies, sometimes called hoods, and tentacles. The bodies are sliced into rings before cooking or you can even stuff them like you would stuff a pepper or tomato.

Squid is treated differently from most seafood because it toughens as it cooks. Squid can be either cooked very briefly - until just cooked through, or it will be tough - or long-cooked, stewed past the point of toughening until it becomes tender again.

Squid can be deep-fried, sautéed or stir-fried. It also takes well to cooking as a quick stew.

When sauté or stir-fried it takes a minute or two to cook the squid through (This is technically called short-braising). Be careful not to cook the squid more than one or two minutes, or it will toughen.

Long-cooking or stewing (technically called long-braising), squid takes forty-five minutes to an hour. The squid is cooked with aromatic vegetables and liquid to cover. Red wine is one of the best liquids to use for stewing squid because its full body and flavor match their flavor. Most stews are cooked covered, but squid, because it releases a lot of liquid and cooks relatively quickly, is cooked uncovered so that the stewing liquid reduces and concentrates while the squid is braising.

Answer 5

You don't want to cook it in the sauce. It will cook to slowly and become rubbery. Dredge it in some seasoned flour(salt pepper,and granulated garlic). Put some olive oil in a pan about 1 inch turn flame on high.Put sauce in another pan to heat. The oil should be about 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, Place the end of a wooden spoon in the oil when it bubbles the oil is hot. Add the calamari filling about 1/3 of the pan at a time. When it is lightly browned it is finished. Set cooked aside until all is cooked. Then add to sauce and serve.

Answer 6

Rinse off the sauce (yeucch) coat squid in plain flour and nothing else, throw into very hot oil for 2 minutes, drain, et voila - kalamari. Liberally douse with fresh lemon juice and enjoy,

Answer 7

Squid should either be cooked very quickly on a high heat (flash fried for 30 seconds either side) or very slowly (eg casseroled) for a longer period in a sauce. Either of these methos will ensure it remains tender, in between will cause it to be rubbery.

Answer 8

Recently went to Peru and had some Ceviche' with squid in it. It was delicious.

The only thing that cooks Ceviche' is lime juice. It cooks it enzymatically.

Answer 9

Boil or fry them for one minute or 40 minutes. Anywhere in between, or more than 40, for some reason makes them REALLY tough and gross.

Answer 10

eat them raw